As we start what’s been known since 1989 as National Stroke Awareness Month (May), Palmer physical therapist Anne Thomas is eager to point out that stroke is a medical emergency that’s highly preventable, and that movement and exercise are keys to such prevention. “As...

It’s the season for weekend fun runs, charity 5Ks and multi-stage team relays. But as recreation and competitive runners hit the roads and trails to prepare for upcoming events, Palmer physical therapist Anne Thomas, reminds us that avoiding common early season...

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) agrees. In new CDC guidelines released in March – guidelines which question the safety and effectiveness of opioid use for the treatment of chronic pain – physical therapy and exercise are specifically mentioned as options for managing chronic pain which “may actually work better” than oft-abused opiate painkillers like Vicodin and OxyContin.

October is National Physical Therapy month, a time of the year when physical therapists like Anne Thomas of Body in Balance Physical Therapy in Palmer celebrate their profession while educating others about the role physical therapy plays in improving the health and vitality of their patients — and of health care in general.

While it’s true that arthritis sufferers can find relief through movement and exercise, those living with the disorder may naturally assume such treatments would be painful. But not so, said Palmer physical therapist Anne Thomas with Body in Balance Physical Therapy.